Album of the Day

Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs was already one of rap's most prominent producers and the force behind Bad Boy Records when he released his solo debut, NO WAY OUT. The album took a significant turn during its recording when close friend the Notorious B.I.G. was killed, and raw emotions over the loss course through the collection. The star-studded set (which features appearances from Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes and Faith Evans) spun off five hit singles including “It's All About the Benjamins,” “Can't Nobody Hold Me Down” and “I'll Be Missing You,” which was the #1 song in America on this day in 1997. The multi-Platinum NO WAY OUT won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, and it remains a hip-hop classic.